Apparatus for refining crude oil



EALSLTBQ Apr. 17, 11923.

J. MAYES APPARATUS FOR REFINING CRUDE OIL Filed Sept. 15, 1920 INVENTOR a "TTREY Fatented Apr. 1?, llfi23.

h-tr amt JOHN.MAYES,' 03F WICHITA, KANSAS.

APPARATUS FOR REFINING CRUDE 0111;.

Application filed September 13, 1920. Serial 1%. $09,922.

. To all whom it may concern:

ings which accompany this specification.

n its practical application, the invention relates to a means for breaking up the'component parts of crude oil under heating conditions maintained during its travel through the preferred form of apparatus illustrated and whereby th refined oil is first driven off as a gas for later condensation in condensing chambers not shown and to the further treatment of the residue whereby all the by-products may be obtained, each unaffected as to quality by the heat treatment to which it has been subjected.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a series of individual but connected retort chambers of the apparatus and the crude oil flow line leading thereto; the first retort being shown as a vertical section to disclose interior arrangements applicable to all or a portion of the succeeding retorts as may be desired and as further described. Fig. 2 shows a top lan view of the evaporating chamber of the first retort; the trapped pipe connecting between evaporating chambers of adjacent retorts and in the right hand portion of the drawing is disclosed the manner of removal of structural elements contained within the evaporating chamber for the purposes defined. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along'the line 2-2, Fig. 2 showing the angular supports upon which the structural elements referred to in Fig. 2 are carried and adapted to slide during removal. Fig. 4 is a View similar to that seen in Fig. 3 and represents a modification thereto in that a metallic element or plate is arranged as a bottom for the circuitous passages and rests upon the molten mass to prevent actual contact of the oils with such molten mass.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to the drawings; retorts 10 are shown in Fig. 1' arranged 111-11118 as a series. Within the walls 11 of each retort 10 is located a firepot 12, burning preferably oil or gas. E-beams 13 are seen sup orted by the walls of the mtort above the repot. These .firepot, a molten mass 18. At 19 a pipe is illbeams support a pan 14:. This pan is proyided with side walls forming an evaporatmg .chamber 15 and capped by a cone or dome shaped cap 16 from the apex of which 'a pipe 17 leads to acondensing chamber (not shown). Upon the floor of the pan 14 is deposited leacl, glass or other substance adapted to become, under the heat developed in the shown through which crude oil is conducted towards the first retort 10 at the left of Fig. 1 a valve 19 governing the inflow of the oil to th evaporating chamber. Bars 20,'rest on angles 21 supported as seen in Fig. 3 from the walls 15 of the chamber. A plurality "of U-sh'aped'members 22 are attached to the bars 20; these U-shaped members 22 are preferably formed of sheet metal and vertically disposed as illustrated; the members 22 have their ends interlapped as clearly seen in Fig. 2, being successively reversed in position and spaced apart and with the base of each member 22 contiguous a side wall portion 15 of the chamber as at 2.3 to the end that a tortuous channel leads between the walls of the coacting U-shaped members 22 from the intake pipe 19 towards the opposite end of the chamber where a pipe 24 trapped at 25 connects to the next retort chamber. The lower edges of the U shaped members 22 contact the molten mass as at 26. When .the valve 19*is opened, crude oil is admitted-into the first retort evaporating chamber and flows in the direction of the arrows through the winding tor tuous' channels formed by the .walls of the U-shaped members 22. This oil floats uponthe molten mass 18which acts as a buffer between the heated pan 14 and the oil and provides an even distribution of heat which acts to drive ofi the oil as a gas, through the pipe 17 which as stated leads to a condensing chamber where the gas is later condensed as a refined oil roduct.

During the time of travel of such ad'- mitted oil towards the pipe 24, then, oil of a certain constituency is driven ofi as a gas, the residue passes then through the pipe 241: and trap 25 to the evaporating chamber of the next retort, similarly constructed and operated and other oil gases driven ofil through its pipe 17 and carried to another condenser. The gases obtained in the second retort cannot return to the first retort on account of the trap 25. I pl find that when water is mixed with the oil much confusion by excess boiling will take place, which tends to disturb the molten mass and produce a splattering action of the molten mass which is undesirable, and to overcome such action a metal bottom Will be attached to the U shaped members, separating the oil from contacting the molten mass as shown at 28 in Fig. 4.

Any number of similar connected retorts may be set up in line as illustrated to the end that all the byproducts may be extracted during the progressive process. The molten mass may be entirely omitted. in the extreme outer retorts and the U-shaped members rest upon the bottom of the pan 14: since by that time the heated pan will. not tend to destroy valuable properties in the oil such as would be the case if employed in direct contact withthe crude oil during the first stages of the process. A plate 28, Fig. i,

may be introduced intermediate the oil flow and the molten mass as will best separate said elements.

As carbon and residue is apt to collect upon the U-shaped members 22, Iprovide a door 27 hinged upon the side wall 15 of the evaporating chamber; this door being opened as in Fig. 2 the bars 20 ,are outwardly slid upon the angles 21 whereby the U-shaped members carried thereby are removed from the evaporating chamber and readily cleaned, it is obvious that at this time, dross or other accumulation may also be removed from the top of the molten mass. Having fully described my improved process and preferred form of apparatus employed therein and subject to such modifications .as lie within the scope of the appended claim, what I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An apparatus for refining crude oils comprising a furnace having a firepot included within the walls thereof, a pan as a base of an enclosed evaporating chamber supported,

. provide a tortuous passage in said chamber above the base of the pan; and an inlet pipe connecting to one end of said passage and an outlet pipe leading from the opposite end of said passage for the purposes substantially as specified.

JOHN MAYES. Witnesses: M. Y. CHARLES, W. A. NETHnRoo'r. 

